SWM_Handbook.pdf

HANDBOOK OF TECHNOLOGIES
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
FIRST EDITION - 2016

Foreword
“A Clean India” would be the best tribute India could pay to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th
birth anniversary in 2019,” said our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as he launched the
Swachh Bharat Mission on 2 October,2014 throughout the length & breadth of the
country. The Swachh Bharat Mission is a bold & visionary response to one of India’s key
urban challenges aiming at scientific processing & disposal of Municipal Solid Waste.
Maharashtra is one of the most urbanized states in the country. Urban Maharashtra is
facing an ever increasing challenge to provide for the infrastructural needs of the growing
urban population. Solid Waste Management in a scientific way is the key for maintaining
the quality of life thereby moving towards healthier & greener surroundings.
It was felt that Urban Local Bodies face challenges in zeroing down on methods for
treatment & disposal of municipal solid waste. Therefore the Urban Development
Department, with the support & collaboration of Asian Development Bank (ADB), has come
out with this “Handbook of Technology for Solid Waste Management”. This handbook
focuses on the treatment of Municipal Solid Waste and stresses upon the importance of
waste segregation at source into dry and wet waste. I am confident that this Handbook,
will definitely assist the ULBs in selecting the appropriate technology option based on
population for treatment of Municipal Solid Waste and thereby accomplish the objective
of “ Swachh Maharashtra” by October,2019.
I am thankful to ADB & its team for their support in bringing out this Handbook of
technology.I am also thankful to Government of India for their sustained support &
guidance to the state.
Mumbai Mr Devendra Fadnavis,
3rd
February, 2016 Chief Minister,
Maharashtra

Acknowledgement
The Urban Development Department is implementing the Swachh Maharashtra Abhiyan
under the aegis of the Swachh Bharat Mission with the vision to make Maharashtra
“Clean by October 2019”, under the dynamic leadership and able guidance of Hon. Chief
Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis. Processing Municipal Solid Waste through modern &
scientific technologies is one of the key Mission objectives.
As we worked towards achieving the Mission objectives we had a series of workshops
and it was felt that our Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) faced challenges in selecting an
appropriate technology for scientific processing of Municipal Solid Waste. The Hon.
Chief Minister also expressed a keen desire and need for bringing out such a Handbook
of Technology for Solid Waste Management, which would guide and support the ULBs
in selecting an appropriate technology based on the population size.
The Department accordingly in collaboration and support of the Asian Development
Bank (ADB), thereafter worked towards publishing this Handbook. This Handbook is an
attempt by the Urban Development Department to provide an understanding of Waste
Processing technologies with emphasis on segregation of waste at source. This
Handbook provides an insight on selecting suitable technology based on population size
of the ULBs.
I am grateful to the ADB & their team for assisting & supporting the Department in
bringing forth this Handbook.
The Handbook would not have been completed in time but for the valuable inputs
received from the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India. I am thankful
to the Ministry of Urban Development for their constant support & guidance in this
initiative.

I am sure this Handbook will definitely assist the ULBs towards selecting an appropriate
technology for Scientific treatment of Municipal Solid Waste and thereby move ahead
towards achieving ‘Swachh Maharashtra’ by October 2019.
Manisha Patankar-Mhaiskar,I.A.S
Secretary, Urban Development Department
Government of Maharashtra.
3rd February, 2016

Handbook of Technologies (SWM)
P a g e | i
Table of Content
1.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Types and Source of MSW .................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Regulatory Framework......................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Swachh Bharat Mission........................................................................................................ 3
1.4 Rationale for Handbook for Waste Treatment Technology .................................................. 4
2.0 Status of SWM in Maharashtra................................................................................................... 6
2.1 Generation of Municipal Solid Waste ................................................................................... 6
2.2 Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste........................................................................... 8
3.0 Waste Segregation, Collection & Transportation................................................................... 10
3.1 Source segregation and Storage........................................................................................ 10
3.2 Segregated Collection........................................................................................................ 11
3.3 Transportation of Waste..................................................................................................... 12
4.0 Technology Options for Treatment of Wet MSW.................................................................... 15
4.1 Composting ........................................................................................................................ 15
4.1.1 Windrow Composting ...........................................................................................................16
4.1.2 Aerated Static Pile Composting.............................................................................................17
4.1.3 In-Vessel Composting............................................................................................................18
4.1.4 Vermi composting.................................................................................................................19
4.2 Biomethanation/ Anaerobic Digestion ................................................................................ 23
5.0 Technology Options for Treatment of Dry MSW .................................................................... 28
5.1 Material Recovery and Recycling....................................................................................... 28
5.2 Refuse Derived Fuel/ Pelletisation ..................................................................................... 28
6.0 Waste to Energy ........................................................................................................................ 31
6.1 Incineration......................................................................................................................... 31
6.2 Emerging Waste to Energy technology.............................................................................. 34
6.2.1 Gasification............................................................................................................................34
6.2.2 Pyrolysis.................................................................................................................................34
7.0 Construction & Demolition Waste ........................................................................................... 36
7.1 Way Forward for ULBs in Construction & Demolition Waste Management ....................... 37
8.0 Landfills...................................................................................................................................... 40
8.1 Location Criteria ................................................................................................................. 40
8.2 Landfill Operation ............................................................................................................... 41
9.0 Way Forward for ULBs.............................................................................................................. 44
9.1 Preparation of Detailed Project Report............................................................................... 44
9.2 Selection of Waste Treatment Technology ........................................................................ 44
9.3 Project Sustainability.......................................................................................................... 46

P a g e | ii
List of Tables
Table 1-1: Sources of waste, waste generators & solid waste contents................................................. 2
Table 2-1: Municipal Solid Waste Generation (MT/day) in the State of Maharashtra............................. 7
Table 2-2: Average Municipal Solid Waste Generation (MT/day) in the ULB’s in the State of
Maharashtra............................................................................................................................................ 8
Table 3-1: MSW Source Segregation – categories............................................................................... 10
Table 3-2: Elements of Primary Collection System............................................................................... 12
Table 4-1: Summary of different Composting Technologies................................................................. 21
Table 4-2: Compost Quality Standard as per MSW Rules, FCO 2009 and FCO 2013 (PROM) .......... 22
Table 4-3: Indicative Criteria for Selection of Appropriate Technology for treating Wet Waste............ 26
Table 5-1: Indicative Criteria for Selecting RDF Technology ............................................................. 30
Table 6-1: Emission Standard for Incineration...................................................................................... 33
Table 6-2: Indicative Criteria for Selecting Incinerator/ WTE Technology ............................................ 35
Table 7-1: Role of ULBs – C&D Waste Management........................................................................... 38
Table 9-1: Waste Treatment Technology Options Based on Population Size...................................... 45
List of Figures
Figure 2-1: Maharashtra Percentage of MSW Generation ..................................................................... 7
Figure 2-2: Average Waste Generation in ULBs..................................................................................... 8
Figure 3-1: Flow Chart – Waste Segregation, Collection, Transportation, Treatment & Disposal........ 14
Figure 4-1: Composting Process .......................................................................................................... 16
Figure 4-2: Windrow Composting ......................................................................................................... 17
Figure 4-3: Aerated Static Pile Composting.......................................................................................... 18
Figure 4-4: In-Vessel Composting ........................................................................................................ 19
Figure 6-1: Typical Mass Burn Incinerator............................................................................................ 33
Figure 8-1: Typical Cross Section for Sanitary Landfill......................................................................... 40

P a g e | 1
1 1.0 Introduction
Urban India is facing an increasing challenge to provide for the incremental infrastructural needs of the
growing urban population. According to the 2011 census, the population of India was 1.21 billion, of
this 31% lives in cities. It is further projected that by 2050 half of India’s population will live in cities.
Solid Waste Management is one of the most essential services for maintaining the quality of life of the
people in the urban areas and for ensuring better standard of health, sanitation and the environment.
With this increasing population, the management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in the country has
emerged as a severe problem not only because of the environmental and aesthetic concerns but also
because of the sheer quantities generated every day.
According to Central Pollution Control Board 144,165 TPD (Tons per day) of Municipal Solid Waste
was generated in India during 2013-14. Of the total waste generated, approximately 115,742 TPD
(80%) of MSW was collected and only 32,871 TPD (22.8%) was treated.
Maharashtra is one of the urbanized states in the country. The state is having total 258 Nos. of Local
Bodies. The population of Maharashtra as per 2011 census is about 11.24 crores, out of which 45.22%
people live in urban areas. The total figure of population living in urban areas is 5.1 crore and the
urban population in the last 10 years has increased by 45.22%.
With rising urbanization and change in lifestyle and food habits, the amount of municipal solid waste
has been increasing rapidly and its composition is also changing. With rapid migration of rural masses
to urban areas, particularly in metro cities, MSW is being produced at an ever - increasing rate. The
increasing population directly influences the municipal solid waste generated in the surrounding areas.
Again industrialization affects level of urbanization and increases population levels there by increasing
the overall waste generated.
1.1 Types and Source of MSW
Municipal solid waste (MSW), also called Urban Solid Waste, and is a waste type that includes
predominantly household waste (domestic waste) with sometimes the addition of commercial wastes,
construction and demolition debris, sanitation residue, and waste from streets collected by a
municipality within a given area. They are in either solid or semisolid form and exclude industrial
hazardous wastes and bio-medical waste. MSW can be broadly categorized into four broad categories
such as:
 Biodegradable waste: food and kitchen waste, green waste (vegetables, flowers, leaves,
fruits), paper (can also be recycled).
 Recyclable material: paper, glass, bottles, cans, metals, certain plastics, etc.
 Inert waste: construction and demolition waste, dirt, rocks, street sweeping, drain silt, debris.
 Domestic hazardous waste (also called "household hazardous waste") & toxic waste:
medication, e-waste, paints, chemicals, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, spray cans, fertilizer and
pesticide containers, batteries, shoe polish.

P a g e | 2
Table 1-1: Sources of waste, waste generators & solid waste contents
Source Typical waste generators Solid waste contents
Residential Single and multifamily dwellings Food wastes, paper, cardboard, plastics,
textiles, leather, yard wastes, wood, glass,
metals, ashes, special wastes (e.g., bulky
items, consumer electronics, batteries, oil,
tires), and household hazardous wastes.
Commercial Stores, hotels, restaurants,
markets, office buildings,
Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood, food
wastes, glass, metals, special wastes,
hazardous wastes
Institutional Schools, hospitals, government
centres
Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood, food
wastes, glass, metals, special wastes,
hazardous wastes.
Construction and
demolition
New construction sites, road
repair, renovation sites, demolition
of buildings
Wood, steel, concrete, dirt, etc.
Municipal services Street cleaning, landscaping,
parks, beaches, other recreational
areas, water and wastewater
treatment plants.
Street sweepings; drain silt; landscape and
tree trimmings; general wastes from parks,
beaches, and other recreational areas;
sludge.
1.2 Regulatory Framework
Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rule, 2000 and draft revised MSW
Rules 2013
The Ministry of Environment and Forest has notified the Municipal Solid Waste (Management &
Handling) Rule, 2000 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to manage the Municipal Solid
Waste (MSW) generated in the country. According to this rule there is specific provision for collection,
segregation, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of MSW & it applies to all Municipal
Authorities.
The MSW Management and Handling Rules 2000 are under revision by MoEF and the draft revised
Rules in 2013 will reflect new systems, technology developments and concepts for an integrated
MSWM. In particular the Rules cover the following aspects:
 list of authorities involved in MSWM and their corresponding duties;
 mandatory MSWM Policy/Strategy to be prepared by the State or the Union Territory;
 mandatory MSWM Plans to be prepared by the municipal authority;
 specific requirements for the management of MSW including segregation into wet and dry
waste, as well as restriction on material to be disposed in landfills; only nonreactive inert and
pre-treated waste may be disposed;
 levy of service fees by the municipal authority to make this service sustainable;
 requirements for landfill sites including site selection and mandatory lining system;
 requirement of environmental clearances for setting up MSW treatment and disposal facilities
including landfills;
 standards for composting;

P a g e | 3
 standards of treated leachate;
 emission standards for incineration facilities;
 mandatory annual reporting by the municipal authority on MSW operations;
The Rule designates the Urban Local Bodies as sole responsible to manage solid waste in their area
and dictates that “within the territorial area of the municipality, be responsible for the implementation of
the provisions of these rules, and for any infrastructure development for collection, storage,
segregation, transportation, treatment and disposal of municipal solid wastes”.
Further, Government of Maharashtra made important law provisions to handle waste
generation.
Maharashtra Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act 2006
The State government has legislated special enactment entitled Maharashtra Non-biodegradable
Garbage (control) Act 2006 to regulate the non-biodegradable municipal solid waste generated in the
urban areas. As per Maharashtra Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2006, notified under this Act; no
person, by himself or through another shall knowingly or otherwise throw/ cause to throw any non-
biodegradable garbage, Construction debris or any biodegradable garbage in any drain, ventilation
shaft, pipe & fittings, sewage lines, natural or manmade lake, wetlands; which is likely to interrupt the
drainage & sewage system, interfere with the free flow or affect the treatment & disposal of drain &
sewage contents, be dangerous or cause a nuisance or be prejudicial to public health and damage the
lake, river water & wetland. Also no person shall knowingly or otherwise, place or permit to place any
biodegradable or non-biodegradable garbage in any public place or open to public view.
The Act also states that, it shall be the duty of the owners and occupiers of every land and building to
store and segregate the waste generated by them into a minimum of two receptacles one for
biodegradable waste and one for non-biodegradable waste.
1.1.1 Maharashtra Plastic Carry Bags (Manufacture and Usage) Rules 2006
To minimize the environment and health impact of plastic waste State government issued Maharashtra
plastic Carry Bags (Manufacture and Usage) Rules 2006 under Maharashtra Non-biodegradable
Garbage Control Act 2006. To control plastic waste generation, manufacturing (and stocking,
distributing or selling) plastic carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic of thickness less than 50
micron and of the size 8 x 12 inches are banned in the State.
Direction of Hon’ble National Green Tribunal (NGT)
Hon’ble NGT in OA No 199 of 2014 (Almitra H. Patel Vs Union of India) on 5th February, 2015 directed
that “The Central Pollution Control Board shall submit its independent comment in relation to
formulation of a national policy with regard to collection and disposal of a municipal solid waste as a
National policy to be adopted. Accordingly, CPCB has developed a National Policy providing indicative
strategy and broad framework which states may refer to derive the needs in-terms of tools and tackles,
equipment and suggested technological options.
1.3 Swachh Bharat Mission
The “Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban” (SBM-U) is a major initiative of Government of India. Launched
on the birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on 2nd October 2014, the mission seeks to attain his

P a g e | 4
vision of a ‘Clean India’ by his 150th birthday in 2019. Expected to cost over Rs. 62,000 crore, it is a
national campaign covering 4041 statutory towns.
The SBM-U is a bold and visionary response to one of India’s key urban challenges. The specific
objectives of the Mission, describe a comprehensive set of actions that can deliver, at one end, the
goals of social transformation, such as eliminating open defecation and manual scavenging, and, at
the other, the goals of scientific solid waste management and sanitation, through the fundamental
instruments of social change: change in behaviour and attitudes, and greater awareness about the
adverse health effects of poor sanitation and waste management.
Modern and scientific Solid Waste Management (SWM) is one of the key component of the SBM-U
and it was felt that urban bodies face challenges in zeroing down methods of collection and
transportation, treatment technology selection and disposal methods. This shortcoming also retards
project progress as implementers take time to gather information from various sources to understand
the sector as there is no nutshell document that provides comprehensive information about the sector.
The Central Government incentive for SWM under SBM will be in the form of a maximum 20% grant or
Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for each project. The State Government will contribute a minimum of 25%
funds for SWM projects to match 75% Central share. This is minimum assured government
contribution available to all ULBs considering an estimated project cost based on unit cost of
Rs. 1,200 per capita. However, the state governments can also add or generate funds for ULB’s as
additional incentives over and above minimum 25% share required to make the projects viable.
As a first step, under the Swachh Bharat Mission ULB’s are to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR)
for solid waste management of their city and get it approved from the State High Power Committee.
DPRs should be aligned with Government of India’s goals outlined in the National Urban Sanitation
Policy (NUSP) 2008, SWM rules, advisories, CPHEEO manuals (including cost-recovery
mechanisms), O&M practices and Service-level Benchmark advisories released by MOUD from time
to time.
In addition to the above, other initiative and support provided by Government of India is as under:
1. In case of compost, market development assistance in the form of subsidy to the tune of Rs.
1,500 per metric ton is available on sale of compost.
2. In case of waste to energy plants, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has
notified generic tariff for sale of electricity at the rate of Rs. 7.04 per unit for mixed MSW based
waste to energy plant and Rs. 7.90 per unit for RDF based plant.
3. Ministry of Power has made is mandatory for all state Discoms to purchase 100% power
generated from MSW based power plant.
1.4 Rationale for Handbook for Waste Treatment Technology
In 2000, the MSW Rules were notified by the Ministry of Environment , Forests and Climate Change
(MoEFCC) making it mandatory for ULBs to improve their waste management systems in a timeframe
ending 31st December, 2003. Non-compliance with MSWM Rules is still a relevant cause for concern
even after 15 years of notification of the MSW Rules, 2000.
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) continue to face challenges not only in the selection of appropriate or
advanced collection & transportation systems, treatment & processing technology and disposal
methods, but also in the sustainable financial management of municipal solid waste management.

P a g e | 5
To manage the current challenges of urban waste management, an integrated approach to waste
management involving planning, financing, construction and operation of facilities for the segregation,
collection, transportation, recycling, treatment and final disposal of the waste could be considered the
challenge has many elements where source segregation needs to be encouraged, efficient collection
of waste, scientific treatment of waste and final disposal of waste.
Source segregation into dry and wet waste is important for further treatment of waste. It allows for
cleaner streets and roads, effective waste treatment promoting recycling and reuse and better disposal
of waste.
This handbook focuses on the treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW) and stresses upon the
importance of waste segregation at source and has been prepared based on the Municipal Solid
Waste (Management & Municipal Handling) Rules, 2000, and the manual on Municipal Solid Waste
Management by the Central Public Health & Environmental Engineering Organization (CPHEEO).
These rules stipulate that all urban local bodies are responsible for proper collection, storage,
transportation, processing and disposal of the municipal wastes. Only the residual inert after due
processing of waste are to be disposed into a sanitary landfill in accordance with these rules. The rules
advocate the use of composting, vermi composting, anaerobic digestion or biomethanation for
treatment of biodegradable waste. Incineration with or without energy recovery including pelletization
and other thermal processes can also be used for processing techniques of municipal wastes.

P a g e | 6
2.0 Status of SWM in Maharashtra
Maharashtra is second largest state in India in terms of population and third largest state in terms of
area. Maharashtra is also the second most urbanised state in India.
Maharashtra has 35 districts, divided
into six revenue divisions for
administrative purposes including
Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad,
Amravati and Nagpur. Local self-
governance institutions in rural
areas include 33 Zilla Parishads,
355 Panchayat Samitis and 27,993
Gram Panchayats. Urban areas in
the state consists of 258 Urban
Local Bodies 239 Municipal
Corporations/ Councils, 7 Nagar
Panchayats and 6 Cantonment
Boards. Mumbai known as financial
capital of India is capital of the state
and houses almost all the financial
institutions.
Maharashtra is the second largest state in India both in terms of geographical area and population,
spread over 3.08 lakh sq. km having a population 11.24 crore as per Census 2011. Maharashtra is a
highly urbanized state with 45.2 per cent of Maharashtra’s population living in urban areas while the
national urban population average is 31 percentage. Maharashtra is one of the highly industrialised
states. It is pioneer in Small Scale Industries and continues to attract industrial investments from both,
domestic as well as foreign institutions. It is a major IT growth centre.
2.1 Generation of Municipal Solid Waste
As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report (2014-15) on state wise municipal solid waste
generation data, Maharashtra generates 22,570 Tons per day (TPD) including Mumbai out of which
about 5,927 TPD (26%) of waste is treated as per the requirement of MSW Rules 2000. Per capita
MSW generation in various towns of the state ranges from 100 to 600 gram per person per day.
Out of the total waste generation in the state, the Corporation generates 87.26 %, A Class Council
generates 2.57 %, B and C Class Council generates 4.77 % and 4.72 % respectively and others is
0.68%. The Table 2.1 below shows the region wise breakup of solid waste generations in the State of
Maharashtra.

P a g e | 7
Table 2-1: Municipal Solid Waste Generation (MT/day) in the State of Maharashtra
Region Corporation “A” Class “B” Class “C” Class NP/Cant./ other
Amravati 320 25 169.55 114.5 --
Aurangabad 935 79 209 371.6 31
Kalyan 1,170 98 53 -- ---
Kolhapur 355 120 86 72.8 10
Mumbai 9,746 - - - --
Nagpur 800 70 97.5 63.17 --
Nashik 1,010 47 158.63 199 33.5
Navi Mumbai 650 - - 11 --
Pune 3,100 81 161.5 96.5 78
Raigad - 31 25 59.2 --
Thane 1,490 -- 23 3 --
Chandrapur 120 28 94 75.1
TOTAL 19,696 579 1077.18 1065.87 152.5
Source: MPCB Annual Report on SWM (2014-15)
Figure 2-1: Maharashtra Percentage of MSW Generation
Based on the average solid waste generation in each ULBs in Maharashtra, distribution of the ULBs
related to the quantity of waste it generates is shown in Table 2.2.
87%
2%
5% 5%
1%
Corporation A Class B Class C Class Others

P a g e | 8
Table 2-2: Average Municipal Solid Waste Generation (MT/day) in the ULB’s in the State of
Maharashtra
SN Waste Generation
ULBs
Nos. %
1 Up to 25 TPD 206 80.2%
2 25 TPD - 50 TPD 23 8.9%
3 50 TPD - 100 TPD 3 1.2%
4 100 TPD - 500 TPD 19 7.4%
5 500 TPD - 1,000 TPD 5 1.9%
6 >1,000 TPD 1 0.4%
Total (excluding Mumbai) 257
Source: MPCB annual report 2014-15
Figure 2-2: Average Waste Generation in ULBs
Several ULBs in the State have taken a number of initiatives for processing of municipal solid waste.
These initiatives primarily involve composting, vermi-composting, and waste to energy
(biomethanation). Although, there are about 69 composting plants, 35 Biomethanation plants, 3 RDF
plants and 2 Waste to Energy plant, the total quantum of waste processed through these methods is
considerably less (approximately 26% of generation) as per annual report of Maharashtra Pollution
Control Board 2014-15.
2.2 Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste
Materials in MSW can be broadly categorized into three groups - compostable, recyclables and inert.
Compostable or organic fraction comprises of food waste, vegetable market wastes and yard waste.
Recyclables are comprised of paper, plastic, metal and glass. The fraction of MSW which can neither
be composted nor recycled into secondary raw materials is called inert which comprises of street
206
23
3
19
5 1
0
50
100
150
200
250
U P T O 2 5
T P D
2 5 T P D - 5 0
T P D
5 0 T P D -
1 0 0 T P D
1 0 0 T P D -
5 0 0 T P D
5 0 0 - 1 , 0 0 0
T P D
> 1 , 0 0 0 T P D

P a g e | 9
sweeping, C&D waste, ash and silt which enter the collection system due to littering on streets and at
public places.
In general a major fraction of urban MSW in India is organic matter (51%). Recyclables are 18% of the
MSW and the rest 31% is inert waste. The average calorific value of urban MSW between 600 to 1200
Kcal/kg) and the average moisture content is 47%.

P a g e | 10
3.0 Waste Segregation, Collection & Transportation
It is essential to segregate wastes into different fractions, commonly referred to as primary
segregation. Segregation of municipal solid waste needs to be linked to primary collection of waste
from the door step and given high priority by the ULBs. Unless primary collection of segregated waste
is not planned by the ULBs the source segregation by waste generators will be meaningless.
At a minimum level, waste should be segregated by waste generators into two fractions: wet (green
container) and dry (blue container). This system is referred to as the 2-bin system. The wet fraction
should preferably be treated at the ULB level by applying appropriate treatment technology and as
many fractions as possible from the dry waste such as paper and plastic should be sent for recycling.
The inert material and rejects should be sent to regional or cluster landfill facility. Figure 3-1 shows the
flow chart of waste management system.
3.1 Source segregation and Storage
Source segregation is the setting aside of inorganic and
organic waste at their point of generation by the
generator. Separating waste at source ensures that
organic and inorganic waste is less contaminated and can
be collected and transported for further treatment.
Segregation of waste also optimizes waste processing
and treatment technologies.
Source segregation will not only provide an efficient way
for resource recovery, but will also substantially reduce
the pressure and pollution at treatment/ landfill sites. It is
understood that implementation of such practices takes
time and requires significant cooperation from the public. However, initiation should be made and
efforts should be diverted to progressively increase the segregation practices.
The generation of awareness among the producers and creation of an enabling environment is the key
to success towards proper segregation and storage at source. Therefore, the first step would be to
have extensive awareness and education campaign to make households realize that the segregation
of garbage at source is the best key to solid waste management.
The municipal authority should undertake phased programs to ensure community participation in
waste segregation. Awareness campaigns should be intensively carried out using all available means
of communication including meetings with all stakeholders. The campaign should be carried over a
long period of time, to bring out a change in the perceptions and attitude of the citizens.
Table 3-1: MSW Source Segregation – categories
Wet Waste (Green Bin) Dry Waste (Blue Bin)
Food wastes of all kinds, Cooked and uncooked, including
eggshells and bones, flower and fruit wastes including
juice peels and house-plant wastes, soiled tissues, food
wrappers, paper towels
Paper, cardboard and cartons; Containers &
packaging of all kinds excluding those containing
hazardous materials; Compound packaging
(tetra pack, blisters etc.) and plastics; Rags,
rubber, wood, discarded clothing and furniture;
Metals, Glass (all kinds), House sweepings and
inert (not garden, yard or street sweepings)

P a g e | 11
Storage of waste at source is the first essential step of Solid Waste Management. Every household,
shop and establishment generates solid waste on day to day basis. Waste should be stored at the
source of waste generation till it is collected for disposal by ULB staff or appointed contractors. It is
essential to segregate wastes into wet waste and dry waste. Segregation of municipal solid waste
needs to be linked to primary collection of waste from the door step and given high priority by the
ULBs; unless door to door collection of segregated waste is practiced by the ULBs, source segregation
by waste generators will remain a meaningless exercise.
3.2 Segregated Collection
Collection of segregated municipal waste from the source of its generation is an essential step in solid
waste management. Inefficient waste collection service has an impact on public health and aesthetics
of towns and cities. Collection of wet and dry waste separately enhances the potential of cost effective
treatment of such wastes and of deriving optimum advantage from the recyclable material fed into the
system. Waste collection service is divided into primary and secondary collection.
Primary collection is collecting waste from households, markets, institutions and other commercial
establishments and taking the waste to a storage depot/ transfer station or directly to the treatment &
disposal site, depending on the size of the city and the prevalent waste management system. Primary
collection of waste is the second essential step of Solid Waste Management activity. Primary collection
system is necessary to ensure that waste stored at source is collected regularly and it is not disposed
of on the streets, drains, water bodies, etc.
a) Door to Door Collection through tricycles/ push carts using segregated bins
b) Containers placed on streets and will be collected through autos, tipper lorries, dumper placers
and compactors
Secondary collection includes picking up waste from community bins, waste storage depots or
transfer stations and transporting it to waste treatment site or to the final disposal site. Primary
collection must ensure separate collection of certain waste streams/ fractions depending on the
separation and reuse system applied by the respective town/ city. Segregated waste must be stored
on-site in separate containers for further collection and should be kept separate during all steps of
waste collection and transportation.
A well synchronised primary and secondary collection and transportation system is essential to avoid
containers’ overflow and waste littering on streets. Further, the transport vehicles should be compatible
with the equipment design at the waste storage depot in order to avoid multiple handling of wastes and
should be able to transport segregated waste.
It is essential to separate street sweeping and drainage waste completely from household waste
streams through all stages of collection, transport and treatment since street sweeping and drainage
infiltrates significant amounts of toxic substances and is often responsible for contamination of waste
streams envisaged for composting and recycling. Street sweeping and drain cleaning waste is to be
collected in separate bins and transported directly to the sanitary landfill facility or interim storage
point/ transfer station.
In ULBs where regional disposal site are away from the town boundary and smaller vehicles are used
for transportation of waste, it may prove economical to set up transfer stations to save transportation
time and fuel.

P a g e | 12
Table 3-2: Elements of Primary Collection System
Source Primary Collection Service Transportation
Residential Areas
Societies/ Apartment
Complexes
Door to door collection services for
segregated waste
Minimum of Two bins for collection
of wet waste and dry waste (10-
15L)
Contract for door to door collection
should be given to Private firm/
NGOs/ RWA/ SHGs
Containerized Handcarts
Tricycles for both men and women
Pick up Vans
Motorized waste collection vehicle
Any suitable combination of the
above
Inaccessible Residential
Areas
Two domestic bins for storage of
waste at source
Two separate community bins/
container of 60 to 120 litre capacity
for 20 to 40 dwelling units
Containerized light weight
handcarts
Waste collected from the area
should be transferred to a LCV
outside the slum area
Markets/ Bulk Waste
Generators
Door step collection services for
recyclable material/ dedicated
waste streams on full cost
recovery basis
Markets: Covered bins for storage
of waste as per the quantity of
waste generated in the market (1.1
m3 – 4 m3capacity.
Large commercial complexes
could use 3.0 m3 to 7.0 m3
container
Motorized waste collection vehicle
with container lifting devise
Compactors compatible with
containers
Non compactor trucks
3.3 Transportation of Waste
The ULBs should, depending upon the system of primary collection (collection from the source of
garbage) adopted in the town, identify the locations where the solid waste intermediate storage
facilities should be created. This is required in order to
(1) Optimise the use of transport devices.
(2) Optimise the use of manpower
(3) Timely collection from source and onward treatment/ disposal of solid waste.
Transportation of the waste at regular intervals is essential to ensure that garbage bins/ containers are
not overflowing and waste is not seen littered on streets. Hygienic conditions can be maintained in
cities/ towns only if regular clearance of waste from temporary waste storage depots (bins) is ensured.
The following strategies can be considered by the Urban Local Bodies for primary transportation (from
source of generation to the storage facility) of solid waste.
a) Depending on the quantum of garbage generated and dispersion of the households, the solid
waste storage facilities can be in the form of large containers with lid placed at a distance
convenient from the area assigned to the sweeping staff / other agency involved in door-to-
door collection work. The distance between two containers can be determined on the basis of
the load of garbage/ refuse that is likely to be received at this storage facility from the
catchment area concerned. These containers should be placed on cement concrete or asphalt
flooring having a gradual slope towards the road in order to keep the site clean. The transport

P a g e | 13
vehicle to be used for primary transportation will vary from ULB to ULB depending upon the
quantum of garbage generated. The containers kept at the storage facility should be cleared
daily.
b) Depending on the quantity of solid waste generated and nature of primary collection
mechanism and the distance between the storage facilities and the final treatment / landfill
sites, a mix of different transport devices should be put into place.
c) In the smaller cities, where the local body feels that it will be difficult to maintain hydraulic
vehicles for transportation of waste for whatever reason (financial constraint, narrow roads and
lanes etc.), the urban local bodies can arrange for a low bed tractor trolley at the waste storage
sites and the secondary transportation from the waste generation site to the treatment/ disposal
site can be done by this low bed tractor trolley.
d) The primary transportation in areas where community bins are provided will have to be made
more intensive because of the more quantity of solid waste in such community bins.
e) The locations where waste storage facilities should be placed may be assessed in such a way
that each container at the storage facility is cleared daily for the biodegradable waste. The
recyclable waste should also be transported through the primary collection vehicle and brought
to the storage facility, and should be kept separately till it is further disposed. The inert material
like street sweeping/ silt from drains if not transported from source directly to the landfill site
can be stored initially at intermediate storage facility in a separate container till it is transported
to landfill sites.
The routing and number of trips of the secondary transportation vehicle shall be worked out depending
on the number of containers and the quantum of garbage and the frequency of clearance of the bins
contemplated at the waste storage facility. The timings should be fixed in such a way that the container
is nearly fill when it is planned for clearance by the transportation vehicle. Depending on the number of
containers on the storage facilities, the container lifting device such as dumper placers Refuse
Collectors/ Compactors may be considered for utilisation for transporting the large containers.
From the bulk waste generators like hotels and restaurants, the tractor transportation either
departmentally or through outsourced agency may be considered from the source to the storage
facility or the treatment site depending on the distance involved. A separate and exclusive storage
facility in the form of container may be considered for the bulk producers of garbage and this can be
finally transported up to the treatment site directly instead of intermediate storage facility (Transfer
Station). The transportation of construction waste should be done exclusively by the waste producers
and they should be told about the places where construction waste should be dumped i.e. landfill site
or dumping place as the case may be. The urban local body should decide on these aspects. It should
be ensured that no concrete bins are put as storage facility since concrete bins are not permitted
under Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2000.

P a g e | 14
Figure 3-1: Flow Chart – Waste Segregation, Collection, Transportation, Treatment &
Disposal
C&D waste is to be collected separately and is not included in the above.
SEGREGATION / PRIMARY
COLLECTION & TRANSPORTATION
DISPOSAL SITE
CLUSTER/ REGIONAL
SECONDARY COLLECTION &
TRANSPORTATION
TREATMENT SITE
Primary
segregated
waste (wet &
dry)
collection at
door step
Door to Door
collection through
hand cart/ tricycle
Directly through
small covered
mechanized
vehicles having
partition for
collection of wet
and dry waste
Waste
Collection
Bins (for
segregated
wet waste &
dry waste;
Plastic/
Metals Bins)
Transport to Bins
from where waste is
lifted and transported
to treatment facility at
each ULB
Dry Waste is directly
transferred
separately to the
treatment facility at
each ULB. Inert
waste based on
quantity is used
locally or disposed at
regional/ cluster
landfill
Windrow Composting/
Vermi Composting
Biomethanation
Material Recovery/
Recyclable Market
RDF - Cluster
Residue from
treatment plant
and inert waste
to be disposed at
regional/ cluster
landfill
Wet Waste
Dry Waste

P a g e | 15
4.0 Technology Options for Treatment of Wet MSW
The technology options available for processing the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) are based on
either bio conversion or thermal conversion. The bio-conversion process is applicable to the
organic fraction of wastes (wet waste), to form compost or to generate biogas such as methane
(biomethanation) and residual sludge (manure). The thermal conversion technologies are
incineration with or without heat recovery, pyrolysis and gasification, plasma pyrolysis and
pelletization or production of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) are applicable for treating dry waste or
mixed waste.
4.1 Composting
Composting is a process of controlled decomposition of the organic waste, typically in aerobic
conditions, resulting in the production of stable humus like product, compost. Considering the
typical composition of wastes and the climate conditions, composting is highly relevant in India.
Composting of the segregated wet fraction of waste is preferred. Mixed waste composting, with
effective and appropriate pre-treatment of feedstock may be considered an interim solution; in
such cases stringent monitoring of the compost quality is essential.
The decomposition process takes place in the presence of air and results in elevated process
temperatures, the production of carbon dioxide, water and stabilised residue, known as humus.
A high degree of stabilisation can generally be achieved in 3-6 weeks, however ‘curing’ of the
humus is normally carried out. For composting to occur in an optimum manner, five key factors
need to be controlled; temperature, moisture, oxygen, material porosity and Carbon: Nitrogen
ratio. Compost, the final product, because of its high organic content, makes a valuable soil
conditioner and is used to provide nutrients for plants. When mixed with soil, compost promotes
proper balance between air and water in the resulting mixture, which further helps reduce soil
erosion, and serves as a slow-release fertilizer.

P a g e | 16
Figure 4-1: Composting Process
Technologies for composting can be classified into the following categories:
4.1.1 Windrow Composting
Windrow composting is the most economical and widely accepted composting process.
Windrow composting process consists of placing the pre-sorted feed stock in long narrow piles
called windrows that are turned on a regular basis for boosting passive aeration. The turning
operation mixes the composting materials and enhances passive aeration.
The size, shape, and spacing of windrows depend on the equipment used for turning. For
example, bucket loaders are used to build high windrows whereas turning machines create low
and wide windrows. Manual labour is also used for windrows of a smaller scale where additional
equipment costs and use of machinery is not feasible.
Windrow dimensions should allow conservation of heat generated during composting process
while also maintaining diffusion of air to the deeper portions of the windrow. Windrows should be
turned frequently, once a week over 5 weeks, to maintain aeration, porosity and enhance
degradation. Frequency of turning depends upon – moisture content, porosity of material, rate of
microbial activity, and desired composting time.
Fresh water or leachate stored in the leachate tank should be sprinkled during the turning
process to maintain the moisture content of the waste. Temperature should also be monitored
and maintained within 55-60°C.This is important because low/ high moisture and variation in
temperature can slow down the composting process. After about 5 weeks, the compost is
successively sieved and the screened material coming out of this section is uniform in texture
but contains semi-solid organic compost, which requires further stabilization. Curing of screened
material for at least 3 weeks in a covered area ensures complete maturation of compost.

P a g e | 17
Mature and high quality compost should have C/N ratio around 20:1. Compost with either higher
or lower C/N ratio is not beneficial to the soil.
Figure 4-2: Windrow Composting
Image Credit: Imperial Compost
4.1.2 Aerated Static Pile Composting
Aerated static pile composting is a technology that requires the composting mixture (of pre-
processed material) to be placed in piles that are mechanically aerated. The piles are placed
over a network of pipes connected to a blower, which supplies the air for composting. Air can be
supplied under positive or negative pressure. When the composting process is nearly complete,
the piles are broken up for the first time since their construction. The compost is then taken
through a series of post-processing steps.
Unlike aerobic windrow composting, the aerated static pile has direct control over aeration. This
is the strength of this system, which can be used to reduce the fermentation time and also save
precious fuel (diesel) used by the turning equipment.
As compost piles are not turned frequently, feedstock should be mixed with bulking agents like
straw/ wood chips to ensure air circulation. Pre-processing is pre-requisite which involves
segregation, size reduction and blending with bulking agents such as straw as it ensures
porosity in the raw materials and hence facilitates efficient air circulation in the pile. Controlled
mechanical aeration enables construction of large piles, thus reducing the demand for land.
Aerated Static Pile technology usually takes 6-12 weeks for producing mature compost.

P a g e | 18
Figure 4-3: Aerated Static Pile Composting
Image Credit: www.oregonlive.com
4.1.3 In-Vessel Composting
The in-vessel composting process is a closed reactor process with aeration and automated
process flow. In-vessel composting is a completely enclosed and odour controlled system with
continuous loading facility and is available in customizable capacity. The waste can be loaded
and discharged either by an automated mechanical system or by simply using a front loader.
For loading, a tunnel loading machine or a system of conveyor belts can be used. The most
common discharging method is either by a pushing floor system or front loader.
The technology is a continuously loading, fully enclosed, flow-through process that transforms
food and other organic material into compost with a 14-28 day retention period. The process
output is a soil conditioner suitable for agricultural and horticultural purposes.
The composting vessel can be custom designed to handle a range of capacities. The
composting vessel is a double-walled tunnel (stainless steel interior, burnished steel exterior)
insulated to control the heat produced when organic materials decompose. Temperature and
moisture levels inside the vessel's air zones are monitored constantly, and airflow is
independently controlled in the composting zones to assure optimum composting conditions.
The mixing zones (between each composting zone) assure proper mixing and aeration for
bacterial growth. As the waste travels inside the vessel, it passes through composting zones
and mixing zones.

P a g e | 19
Figure 4-4: In-Vessel Composting
Image Credit: Ohio University
In Vessel composting is recommended especially for kitchen and canteen food waste. Since
composting takes place in an enclosed vessel, all environmental conditions can be controlled to
enhance composting. Minimal odour and leachate generation are observed.
4.1.4 Vermi composting
Vermicomposting involves the stabilization of organic solid waste through earthworm
consumption which converts the material into worm castings. Vermicomposting is the result of
combined activity of microorganisms and earthworms. Microbial decomposition of biodegradable
organic matter occurs through extra cellular enzymatic activities (primary decomposition)
whereas decomposition in earthworm occurs in alimentary tract by microorganisms inhabiting
the gut (secondary decomposition). Microbes such as fungi, actinomycetes, protozoa etc. are
reported to inhabit the gut of earthworms. Ingested feed substrates are subjected to grinding in
the anterior part of the worm’s gut (gizzard) resulting in particle size reduction.
Vermicomposting is a tripartite system that involves biomass, microbes and earthworms is
influenced by the abiotic factors such as temperature, moisture, aeration, etc. Microbial ecology
changes according to change of abiotic factors in the biomass but decomposition never ceases.
Conditions unfavourable to aerobic decomposition result in mortality of earthworms and
subsequently no vermicomposting occurs. Hence, pre-processing of the waste as well as
providing favourable environmental condition is necessary for vermicomposting.
The worm species that are commonly considered are Pheretima sp, Eienia sp and Perionyx
excavatus sp. These worms are known to survive in the moisture range of 20-80% and the
temperature range of 20-40 °C. These worms do not survive in pure organic substrates
containing more than 40% fermentable organic substances. Hence fresh waste is commonly
mixed with partially or fully stabilized waste before it is subjected to vermicomposting. The
worms are also known to be adversely affected by high concentrations of heavy metals such as
cadmium, chromium, lead and zinc. Since earthworms are very sensitive towards heavy metals,
it is very important to ensure that waste feed is not contaminated. Vermicomposting is typically
suited for managing smaller waste quantities.

P a g e | 20
The choice of composting technology depends on a number of criteria which include quantity of
waste to be processed, land requirement, climatic conditions, stability, energy requirements,
financial implications, monitoring requirements and aesthetic issues. Table 4.1 gives a brief
overview of different composting technologies.
Figure 4-5: In-Vessel Composting
Image Credit: Yours Naturally

P a g e | 21
Table 4-1: Summary of different Composting Technologies
Parameters Windrow Aerated Static Pile In-Vessel Vermi-Composting
Applicable with
Population Size
Population above
1 lakh to 10 lakh
Population above
1 lakh to 10 lakh
Population above
1 lakh to 5 lakh
Less than 1 lakh
population
General Simple
Technology
Effective for farm
and municipal use
Large- scale
systems for
commercial
applications
Suitable for
quantities less
than 25 TPD
generation of
mixed MSW
Amount of waste
treated
Above 25 TPD,
max. 500 TPD
Above 25 TPD,
max. 500 TPD
Above 25 TPD,
max. 250 TPD
Less than 25 TPD
Land Requirement 8 ha – 500 TPD 5 ha - 500 TPD
(Less land
required given
faster rates and
effective pile
volumes)
4 ha - 500 TPD
(Very limited land
due to rapid rates
and continuous
operations)
2 ha: 50 TPD
Time 8 Weeks 5 Weeks 3 Weeks (3-5 days
in vessel; 3 weeks
to mature)
8 Weeks
Ambient
Temperature
Not temperature
sensitive
Not temperature
sensitive
Not temperature
sensitive
Temperature
sensitive (30-40°C
ideal range; 35-
37°C specific to
particular
earthworm sp.)
Energy Input Moderate Moderate (2-3 hrs.
aeration)
High Low
Financial
Implication
Moderate Costly Very Costly Moderate.
Purchase of exotic
earthworms
suitable for MSW
composting are
expensive
Odour/ Aesthetic
Issues
Odour is an issue
if turning is
inadequate
Moderate. Odour
can occur but
controls can be
used such as pile
insulation and
filters on air
system
Minimum.
Odour can occur
due to equipment
failure or system
design failure
Recommendation  
Based on the assessment, Windrow and Vermi Composting is recommended based on
implementation experience in India.
The quality of the compost should meet the standards set by Fertilizer Control Order, 2009 and
Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2000. The compost which is to be used as fertilizer for food crops
should abide by the FCO Rules which are more stringent, while compost used as a soil
conditioner and for other purposes should at least meet the requirements of MSW Rules, 2000.
The FCO 2013 specified quality standards for PROM which is formed by the mixing of rock
phosphate with MSW derived compost considering short supply of phosphatic in the country,

P a g e | 22
while retaining the standards specified in FCO 2009 for organic compost. Table 4.2 is a
comparison of compost quality standards as specified by the FCO Rules 2009, 2013 and MSW
(M&H) Rules 2000. As the MSW Rules 2000 is under revision it is recommended to follow FCO
2009 standards.
Table 4-2: Compost Quality Standard as per MSW Rules, FCO 2009 and FCO 2013 (PROM)
Parameters
Organic Compost
Phosphate Rich Organic
Manure
MSW Rules 2000 FCO 2009 FCO 2013
Arsenic (mg/kg) 10 10 10
Cadmium (mg/kg) 5 5 5
Chromium (mg/kg) 50 50 50
Copper (mg/kg) 300 300 300
Lead (mg/kg) 100 100 100
Mercury (mg/kg) 0.15 0.15 0.15
Nickel (mg/kg) 50 50 50
Zinc (mg/kg) 1000 1000 1000
C/N Ratio 20-40 <20 Less than 20:1
pH 5.5 – 8.5 6.5 – 7.5 (1:5 solution) maximum
6.7
Moisture, per cent by
weight, maximum
15 – 25
Bulk density (g/cm3) <1 <1.6
Total Organic Carbon,
per cent by weight,
minimum
12 7.9
Total Nitrogen (as N),
per cent by weight,
minimum
0.8 0.4
Total Phosphate (as
P2O5), percent by
weight, minimum
0.4 10.4
Total Potassium (as
K2O), percent by
weight, Minimum
0.4
Colour Dark brown to Black
Odour Absence of foul Odour
Particle size Minimum 90% material
should pass through 4.0
mm IS sieve
Minimum 90% material
should pass through 4.0
mm IS sieve
Conductivity (as dsm-
1), not more than
4 8.2

P a g e | 23
4.2 Biomethanation/ Anaerobic Digestion
Biomethanation involves controlled biological degradation of organic wastes by microbial activity
in the absence of oxygen. The process involves the anaerobic (without air) decomposition of wet
organic wastes to produce a methane-rich biogas fuel and a small amount of residual sludge
that can be used for making compost. It takes place in digester tanks or reactors, which enable
control of temperature and pH levels for optimizing process control. Methane-rich gas produced
is suitable as fuel for energy generation. The residual sludge is also produced, which is suitable
for enriching compost materials. Input preparation or source separation is required to ensure
that waste is free of non-organic contamination.
Anaerobic digestion is best suited to the treatment of wet organic feed stocks such as high
moisture agricultural biomass, food waste, and animal wastes including manure and domestic
sewage. A prepared feedstock stream with less than 15 percent Total Solid (TS) is considered
wet and feed stocks with TS greater than 15-20 percent are considered dry. Feedstock is
typically diluted with process water to achieve the desirable solids content during the
preparation stages.
The homogeneity of the feed material is an important parameter from the efficiency point of
view. The waste must be sorted so that all inorganic products are removed from the refuse prior
to entry into the digester. Ideally the refuse should be sorted at source, if not, it could be sorted
by hand/mechanical means on delivery to the site.
Single-stage digesters are simple to design, build, and operate and are generally less
expensive. The organic loading rate of single-stage digesters is limited by the ability of
methanogenic organisms to tolerate the sudden decline in pH that results from rapid acid
production during hydrolysis. Two-stage digesters separate the initial hydrolysis and acid-
producing fermentation from methanogenesis, which allows for higher loading rates but requires
additional reactors and handling systems.
The solid waste management system needs to be modified and improved to make it compatible
with the requirements of biomethanation technology covering source separation collection of
solid waste. Otherwise, the applicability will be limited to highly organic and homogenous waste
streams such as slaughter house waste, market wastes.
The yield of biogas depends on the composition of the waste feedstock and the conditions
within the reactor. The modern anaerobic digestion treatment processes are engineered to
control the reaction conditions to optimize digestion rate and fuel production. Typically 100-200
m3
of gas is produced per ton of organic MSW that is digested. Important Operating parameters
controlling biomethanation:
 Temperature: Treatment of waste in anaerobic reactors is normally carried out within two
ranges: around 25-40°C known as mesophilic range and higher than 45°C known as
thermophilic range.
 pH: The anaerobic digestion process is limited to a relatively narrow pH interval from
approximately 6.0 to 8.5 pH
 Moisture: The moisture content of waste should not be less than 15% as it can prevent
decomposition of waste
 Toxicity: A number of compounds are toxic to anaerobic microorganisms. Methanogens
are commonly considered to be the most sensitive to toxicity

P a g e | 24
 C/N Ratio: Optimum C/N ratio in anaerobic digesters is between 20–30. A high C/N ratio
is an indication of rapid consumption of nitrogen by methanogens and results in lower
gas production. On the other hand, a lower C/N ratio causes ammonia accumulation and
pH values exceeding 8.5, which is toxic to methanogenic bacteria.
 Organic Loading Rate: Organic loading rate is the frequency and speed at which the
substrate is added to the digester. For each plant of a particular size, there is an optimal
rate at which the substrate should be loaded. Beyond this optimal rate, further increases
in the feeding rate will not lead to a higher rate of gas production. Agitation or consistent
stirring of the contents in the digester also plays an important role in determining the
amount of biogas produced
 Retention Period: The required retention time for completion of the reactions varies with
differing technologies, process temperature, and waste composition. The retention time
for wastes treated in a mesophilic digester range from 10 to 40 days. Lower retention
times are required in digesters operated in the thermophilc range. A high solids reactor
operating in the thermophilic range has a retention time of 14 days.
Indian Experience
1. Organic Recycling System has entered into a concession agreement with Solapur
Municipal Corporation for processing a 400 TPD waste to energy plant using DRYAD ™
technology for 29 years. The technology is based on principles of Thermophilic
Biomethanation (operating temperature 600C) with 40-50% solid content. Average
biogas generation rate for the plant as per the discussion with the developer is 110 m3
per tonne of waste processed. The high biogas generation is on account of large
availability of tendu leaf in the waste from the region. The biogas from the plant is
desulphurised in biological scrubber and fed to the gas engine. Waste heat from the
engine is recovered and utilized for heating water which is added to the digester.
Currently the first phase of the plant is operational (since July 2012) with an installed
capacity of 200 TPD. Approximately 9 acres of land has been provided by Solapur
Municipal Corporation for development of plant on an annual lease rent of Re 1 per sq.
m. The 200 TPD plant currently is developed on 2 acres of land. The plant is expected to
generate 4MW from 400 TPD of waste, with approximately 20% captive consumption
and will export approximately 3.2MW to the grid. The company has signed a power
purchase agreement with MSEDC for 20 years at a preferential tariff of Rs. 6 per unit.
2. The Nisarguna Technology developed by the Babha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
The organic solid waste, mainly kitchen waste, obtained through proper segregation is
ideal feed stock for biomethanation plants. The waste slurry undergoes both anaerobic
and aerobic degradation and release methane gas in the process, while the undigested
material settles down and can be used as manure since it is rich in plant nutrients. It
must be noted that this technology is suitable both at the community level and at the
ward level. Government establishments, housing colonies, big hotels etc. can set up
such plants and process their kitchen wastes in the environment friendly manner.
The success of the Nisargruna technology depends mainly on the proper segregation of
the kitchen waste. This technology, while being low cost, has several other advantages
which are inherently built into its processes. It would generate employment as well, and
itself-sustainable as it generates fertilizers and biogas as outputs. Though its initial cost

P a g e | 25
maybe relatively higher than conventional gobar gas plants, the BARC model is more
reliable and enduring due to modifications made in its design to prevent choking. It is
also more versatile in its capacity to tolerate varied biodegradable feed stock.
As per Maharashtra Pollution Control Annual Report 2014-15, there are 16 plants with
total capacity of 52 TPD operational in Maharashtra and 8 plants with total capacity of 23
TPD is under construction. The capacity of these plants range from 1 TPD to 5 TPD.

P a g e | 26
Table 4-3: Indicative Criteria for Selection of Appropriate Technology for treating Wet
Waste
Criteria Windrow Composting Vermi Composting Biomethanation
Applicable with
Population Size
Above 1 Lakh Between 5,000 to 1 Lakh Small scale – between
5,000 to 25,000
Can be extended to Large
scale as in case of
Sholapur
Facility Location 1
,2
Plant should be located at
least one km away from
habitation, if it is open
windrow composting. The
distance could be 500m in
case of covered plants.
Within the residential area
(with appropriate
environmental safe guards)
Plant should be located at
least 500 m away from
residential areas, for plant
sizes upto 500 TPD.
Buffer Zone (no
Development Zone)
500 m for facilities dealing with 100 TPD or more of MSW; 400 m for facilities for
dealing with more than 75 or less than 100 TPD; 300 m for facilities dealing with 50-75
TPD of MSW; 200 m for facilities dealing with less than 50 TPD MSW.
For Decentralized plants handling less than 1 TPD MSW no buffer zone is required;
however adequate environmental controls are required.
Natural
Environment
Composting in coastal/ high
rainfall areas should have a
shed to prevent waste from
becoming excessively wet
and thereby to control
leachate generation
Composting in coastal/ high
rainfall areas should have a
shed to prevent waste from
becoming excessively wet
and thereby to control
leachate generation
Land Requirement High
(For 500TPD of MSW: 6 ha
of land is required)
High
(Suitable for quantities less
than 25 TPD)
Low to Moderate
For small units: 500 sq. m
for 5MT unit
For large scale: 300 TPD
of MSW: 2 ha of land is
required)
Waste Quantity
which can be
managed by a
single facility
25 TPD and above 1 TPD to 25 TPD 1-5 TPD at small scale to
Requirement for
Segregation prior
to technology
High Very high Very high
Rejects About 30% including inert if
only composting is done
About 30% including inert About 30% from mixed
waste
Potential for Direct
Energy Recovery
No No Yes
Technology
Maturity
Windrow composting
technique is well
established
Community scale projects
are successful
Feasibility for segregated
biodegradable waste is
proven. Not suitable for
mixed waste
1
Site selection criteria specified by the EIA Notification 2006 and its amendments shall be considered.
2
CPCB Guidance on Criteria for Site Selection for Landfills shall also be considered

P a g e | 27
Criteria Windrow Composting Vermi Composting Biomethanation
Market for By-
product/ End
Product
Quality compost compliant
with FCO 2009 has a good
market. IPNM Task Force
(vetted by Supreme Court,
1 Sep 2006) has
recommended co-marketing
of 2-3 bags of compost with
7-8 bags of inorganic
fertilizer.
Good market potential in
Urban and Rural areas.
However it is not
adequately explored.
The technology is not fully
explored, though it has a
potential to generate
energy as well as
digested sludge manure.
Labour
Requirement
Labour intensive Labour intensive Less Labour intensive
Predominant skills
for Operation and
Management
Skilled & Semiskilled labour Skilled & Semiskilled labour Skilled labour
Concerns for
toxicity of product
The final product is
generally applied to soil and
used as manure. Can
contaminate the food chain
if compost is not meeting
FCO norms.
The product is generally
safe as worms cannot
endure significant
contamination of raw
materials. FCO Standards
are to be met with.
Leachate Pollution High if not treated
appropriately
Insignificant quantities at
low waste volumes per
vermi-pit.
High if not treated
appropriately
Atmospheric
pollution
Low (Dust, aerosol, etc.).
Odour issues.
Low. Odour issues. Low Leakage of biogas.
Odour issues
Other Fire and safety issues to be
taken care of
Fire and safety issues to be
taken care of
Fire and safety issues to
be taken care of

P a g e | 28
5.0 Technology Options for Treatment of Dry MSW
5.1 Material Recovery and Recycling
Recycling is the process by which materials that are otherwise destined for disposal are
collected, processed and remanufactured or reused. Recyclables mainly consist of paper,
plastic, metal, and glass and can be retrieved from the waste stream for further recycling. If
appropriate market mechanisms are established, recycling can generate revenues, contributing
to the overall cost recovery for municipal solid waste service provision.
Material recovery starts at the primary level, by households which segregate recyclables like
newspapers, cardboard, plastics, bottles etc. from waste, to sell such material to local recyclers/
scrap dealers / haulers or kabadi system. What is not sold to the kabadi system, is discarded
and becomes part of the municipal solid waste. Rag pickers pickup parts of this waste and sell
them to earn their living. Well segregated recyclables can directly be transferred to the treatment
site or to the recyclable market depending on local conditions.
The dry fraction of the segregated waste may be further segregated locally or at the transfer
station or at the treatment plant. Different recyclables are sent either directly to locally available
recycling facilities or are sold to wholesale dealers.
Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is meant for further segregation of recyclables into separate
categories for effective reuse and recycling. The waste pickers and members of Self Help
Groups can be used for this purpose. The segregation here can be either done manually or
through semi-automatic system depending on the quantum of waste generated and financial
resources available with the ULBs.
Dry segregated material is received in a mixed form consisting of a combination of fibres (paper,
card board, mixed paper, magazines etc.) and comingled containers (Plastic, glass, metal etc.),
among other material. The first stage of processing typically utilizes manual labour or equipment
that separate material into various streams (fibre, paper, plastic, containers etc.). These
recyclables are also sorted by using automated machines when quantities to be handled are
large.
5.2 Refuse Derived Fuel/ Pelletisation
Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) refers to the high calorific, non-recyclable fraction of processed
municipal solid waste which is used as a fuel for either steam/ electricity generation or as
alternate fuel in industrial furnaces/boilers (co-processing/co-incineration of waste in cement
and steel industry and for power generation). The composition of RDF is a mixture that has
higher concentrations of combustible materials than those present in the parent mixed MSW.
The RDF process typically includes thorough pre-separation of recyclables, shredding, drying,
and densification to make a product that is easily handled. Glass and plastics are removed
through manual picking and by commercially available separation devices. This is followed by
shredding to reduce the size of the remaining feedstock to about eight inches or less, for further
processing and handling. Magnetic separators are used to remove ferrous metals. Eddy-current
separators are used for aluminium and other non-ferrous metals. The resulting material contains
mostly food wastes, non-separated paper, some plastics (recyclable and non-recyclable), green
wastes, wood, and other materials. Drying to less than 12% moisture is typically accomplished

P a g e | 29
through the use of forced-draft air. Additional sieving and classification equipment may be
utilized to increase the removal of contaminants. After drying, the material often undergoes
densification processing such as pelletizing to produce a pellet that can be handled with typical
conveying equipment and fed through bunkers and feeders.
Figure 5-1: Refuse Derived Fuel
Image Credit: Clean India Journal
The RDF can be immediately combusted on-site or transported to another facility for burning
alone, or with other fuels. The densification is even more important when RDF is transported off-
site to another facility, in order to reduce volumes being transported. RDF is often used in waste
to energy plants as the primary or supplemental feedstock, or co-fired with coal or other fuels in
power plants, in kilns of cement plants, and with other fuels for industrial steam production.
RDF typically consists of dry fraction of MSW including paper, textile, rags, leather, rubber, non-
recyclable plastic, jute, multi-layer packaging, and other compound packaging, cellophane,
thermocol, melamine, coconut shells and other high calorific fractions of MSW. However from
the ISWM hierarchy perspective, the city should give priority to separately recycle relevant
components (e.g., paper, plastics, jute, metal, glass, multi-layer packaging used for liquid food
items etc.). The composition and resultant energy content of RDF varies according to the origin
of waste material and the sorting/ separation/ processing processes being adopted in the
treatment facility.
RDF quantity and composition is determined by the nature of the waste and extent of material
recovery/recycling processes implemented by the city. The quantity of RDF that can be
produced per tonne of MSW varies depending on the type of collection, pre-processing and
composition of waste source.
The relative uniformity of properties and higher quality of RDF as compared to mixed MSW has
led in the past to a preference for RDF in some applications. Co-processing of RDF in
cement/steel/power plants is a preferred option. RDF can also serve as a feedstock for different
thermal systems, e.g. MSW incineration, pyrolysis and gasification. In keeping with the present
state of technology, RDF is fired in the moving grate furnace or in an appropriate boiler
equipped with a grate system.

P a g e | 30
Table 5-1: Indicative Criteria for Selecting RDF Technology
Criteria RDF
Applicable with Population Size Above 5 Lakh, small ULBs can go for cluster approach
Facility Location Plant should be located at least 500 m away from residential areas.
Buffer Zone (No Development Zone) 500 m for facilities dealing with 100 TPD or more of MSW; 400 m
for facilities for dealing with more than 75 or less than 100 TPD; 300
m for facilities dealing with 50-75 TPD of MSW; 200 m for facilities
dealing with less than 50 TPD MSW.
For Decentralized plants handling less than 1 TPD MSW no buffer
zone is required; however adequate environmental controls are
required.
Land Requirement Low to Moderate
(For 300 TPD of MSW: 2 ha of land is required)
Waste Quantity which can be
managed by a single facility
100 TPD and above
Requirement for Segregation prior
to technology
High
Rejects Around 30% from mixed waste
Potential for Direct Energy
Recovery
No (feed stock for energy recovery)
Technology Maturity Quality of RDF should be based on end use, no clear consensus on
quality requirements. Burning of RDF below 850°C for less than 2
seconds residence time can pose serious problems of health and
environment. Rules regulating characteristics of RDF and
guidelines for appropriate use not prescribed by concerned
authority.
Market for By-product/ End Product Good market potential for RDF. In small cities, RDF plants only
become feeders of RDF to large RDF based power plants and
cement plants.
Labour Requirement Labour intensive (based on current practice)
Predominant skills for Operation
and Management
Skilled & Semiskilled labour
Leachate Pollution Low
Atmospheric pollution Low to Moderate (Dust, aerosols). Very high if RDF is not burnt at
required temperature. Odour issues.
Other Presence of inappropriate material in the RDF (chlorinated plastics).
Fire and safety issues to be taken care of.

P a g e | 31
6.0 Waste to Energy
Waste to Energy (WTE) refers to the process of generating energy in
the form of heat or electricity from municipal solid waste. Waste to
energy generation technologies can play significant role in an
integrated waste management system by treating waste and
generating power/ energy and reducing the waste volumes for
disposal. In addition to generation of energy the these technologies can
 Reduce the volume of waste to be disposed and preserving landfill space
 Allow for the recovery of energy from the waste stream.
 Allow for the recovery of materials from the waste stream which can then be reused or
recycled.
 Destroy contaminants present in the waste stream, thereby reducing potential pollutants
in the leachate and subsequent environmental pollution
Proven Waste to Energy technologies include incineration of municipal solid waste with recovery
of energy, either as heat or converted to electricity and production of high calorific value Refuse
Derived Fuel (RDF) from municipal solid waste, which is fast gaining acceptance. There are
various new technologies under discussion such as pyrolysis and gasification, which are not yet
proven under Indian conditions. Combustion technologies in India have to cope with the
comparably high moisture and inert content, as is common in Indian waste. Application of
technologies like pyrolysis and gasification to treat municipal solid waste is at a very nascent
stage in the country, with one or two experimental plants in the process of being set-up.
Waste to Energy plants are an expensive option for managing municipal solid waste, requiring
skilled manpower and adoption of high-level technologies. They also have the potential to cause
significant environmental impacts through emissions and fly ashes, if plants are not operated
efficiently and appropriate emission control mechanisms are not adopted.
6.1 Incineration
Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves combustion of waste at very high
temperatures, in the presence of oxygen and results in the production of ash, flue gas and heat.
Incineration is feasible for unprocessed or minimum processed refuse besides for the
segregated fraction of the high calorific waste.
The potential for energy generation depends on the composition, density, moisture content and
presence of inert in the waste. In practice, about 65 to 80 % of the energy content of the waste
can be recovered as heat energy, which can be utilized either for direct thermal applications, or
for producing power via steam turbine generators.
Mass-burn systems are the predominant form of the MSW incineration. It involves combustion of
unprocessed or minimally processed refuse. The major components of a mass burn facility
include: (1) Refuse receiving, handling, and storage systems; (2) Combustion and steam
generation system (a boiler); (3) Flue gas cleaning system; (4) Power generation equipment
(steam turbine and generator); (4) Condenser cooling water system; and (5) Residue hauling
and storage system.
Waste to Energy is
generally recommended
for cities having
population over 10 lakh.

P a g e | 32
Mass burn incineration with a movable grate incinerator is a widely used and thoroughly tested
technology. It meets the demands for technical performance and can accommodate large
variations in waste composition and calorific value.
The main advantage of a mass-burn facility is the amount of energy that it produces and
significant volume reduction of landfilled waste. However, it does have the disadvantage of
producing significant amounts of air pollution, including heavy metals released during the
combustion process. The ash that results from the combustion still has to be disposed. In
considering the MSW incineration option, it is important to weigh the benefits of incineration
against the significant capital and operating costs, potential environmental impacts, and
technical difficulties of operating an incinerator.
The success of a waste incineration plant depends on the type of waste that is being treated.
The following parameters and their variability are key drivers:
 The energy content of the waste, the average lower calorific value (LCV) must be at least
4000-6000 KJ/kg3
throughout all season.
 Waste composition – high combustible material, low moisture, and low inert or ash
 Waste physical composition, e.g. particle size
 The supply of combustible waste should be stable and amount to at least 500
tonnes/day
Greater variability in the above parameters leads to higher costs for pre-treatment of waste and
downstream operations such as flue gas cleaning. The external costs of pre-treatment of waste
add significantly to the overall cost of waste management and to emissions from the systems.
Flue-gas cleaning is often a significant contributor to overall incineration costs (i.e. approx. 15 to
35 % of the total capital investment).
3
Municipal Solid Waste Incineration, World Bank Technical Guidance Report

P a g e | 33
Figure 6-1: Typical Mass Burn Incinerator
Image Credit: Waste to Energy International
The MSW Rules, 2000 provides operating and emission standards for incineration. The
combustion efficiency (CE) shall be at least 99.00%. The emission standard as per MSW Rules
2000 is provided in Table 6.1.
Table 6-1: Emission Standard for Incineration
Parameters Concentration mg/Nm3
Particulate Matter 150
Nitrogen Oxides 450
HCl 50
Minimum Stack Height 30 meters above ground
Volatile Organic compounds in ash shall not be
more than
0.01%
Indian Experience
In India, a MSW incineration-cum-power plant is operating at Okhla. The Timarpur Okhla
Municipal Solid Waste Management plant is a private-public partnership project of the Jindal ITF
Ecopolis and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).The plant design capacity is 2000 TPD of
MSW and to generate 20 MW power and it was commissioned in 2012. In addition, there are
other waste to energy at various stages of construction across at Pune, Hyderabad, Delhi and
Bangalore.

P a g e | 34
6.2 Emerging Waste to Energy technology
6.2.1 Gasification
Gasification process involves the partial oxidation of carbon-based feedstock to generate a
syngas, which can be used as a fuel or for the production of chemicals.
Gasification produces gases and liquids, as well as residual solids, including ash and carbon
char. Inorganic materials in the feedstock are removed as bottom ash. They are usually
combined with char, and can be separated out for disposal or used in making block materials.
Gasification typically relies on carbon-based waste such as paper, petroleum-based wastes like
plastics, and organic materials such as food scraps. As MSW is a heterogeneous waste stream,
pre-processing of MSW is required to make Gasification process more efficient. The pre-
processing includes the separation of thermally non-degradable material such as metal, glass
and inert along with size reduction and/or densification of the feedstock, if required. If MSW has
high moisture content, a dryer may be added to the pre-processing stage to lower the moisture
content of the MSW to 25% or lower, because lower moisture content of the feedstock increases
its heating value and the system becomes more efficient. The optimal calorific value of waste
should be approximately 2000 kcal/kg for proper Gasification.
6.2.2 Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis involves an irreversible chemical change brought about by the action of heat in an
atmosphere devoid of oxygen. Synonymous terms are thermal decomposition, destructive
distillation and carbonisation. Pyrolysis, unlike incineration is an endothermic reaction and heat
must be applied to the waste to distil volatile components. Process of converting plastic to fuels
through pyrolysis is possible, but yet to be proven to be a commercially viable venture.
Pyrolysis is carried out at temperature between 500 and 1000°C and produces three component
streams.
 Gas: A mixture of combustible gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane,
carbon dioxide and some hydrocarbons.
 Liquid: Consisting of tar, pitch, light oil and low boiling organic chemicals like acetic acid,
acetone, methanol, etc.
 Char: Consisting of elemental carbon along with the inert materials in the waste feed.
The char, liquids and gas are useful because of their high calorific value. Part of the heat
obtained by combustion of either char or gas is often used as process heat for the endothermic
pyrolysis reaction. It has been observed that even after supplying the heat necessary for
pyrolysis, certain amount of excess heat still remains which can be commercially exploited.
Though a number of laboratory & pilot investigations have been made, only a few have led to
full scale plants globally.
Mainly plastics, particularly the poly-olefins, which have high calorific values and simple
chemical constitutions of primarily carbon and hydrogen, are usually used as a feedstock in
pyrolysis process. More recently, pyrolysis plants are being tested to degrade carbon rich
organic materials such as municipal solid waste.
Where mixed municipal solid waste is received at the processing site, sorting and pre-treatment
of the waste is an essential step to ensure removal of metals, ceramics and other recyclable

P a g e | 35
material. The remaining feed stock is shredded and the moisture content is reduced. Size
reduction is also an essential step in pre-treatment, to ensure appropriate size of the feedstock
in relation to the feed equipment of the furnace. Maximum efficiency is achieved when the
feedstock quality is homogenous.
Table 6-2: Indicative Criteria for Selecting Incinerator/ WTE Technology
Criteria Incineration
Applicable with Population Size More than 10 Lakh
Facility Location Plant should be located at least 1km away from residential areas.
Buffer Zone (No Development Zone) 500 m for facilities dealing with 100 TPD or more of MSW; 400 m for
facilities for dealing with more than 75 or less than 100 TPD; 300 m
for facilities dealing with 50-75 TPD of MSW; 200 m for facilities
dealing with less than 50 TPD MSW.
For Decentralized plants handling less than 1 TPD MSW no buffer
zone is required; however adequate environmental controls are
required.
Land Requirement Low
To be assessed
Waste Quantity which can be
managed by a single facility
500 TPD and above (smaller plants are not techno-economically
viable, given the cost of required environmental control equipment &
boiler technology
Requirement for Segregation prior
to technology
High – Feed stock should be free from inert and low on moisture
content
Rejects Around 15%
Potential for Direct Energy
Recovery
Yes
Technology Maturity Technology is available. However constraints of low calorific value,
high moisture content and high proportion of inert waste should be
considered while undertaking the project commercially
Indicative Capital Investment Very High capital, operating and maintenance costs.
Market for By-product/ End Product Good potential of energy generation if power purchase agreements
are made reflecting true cost of production including O&M costs
Labour Requirement not labour intensive but Requires considerable technical capacity,
Predominant skills for Operation
and Management
Highly skilled required
Leachate Pollution Low (provided fly-ash is managed appropriately and disposed in a
hazardous waste landfill.
Atmospheric pollution Very high if not managed properly. (Emissions due
to incomplete combustion of municipal refuse contain a number of
toxic compounds, requiring appropriate emissions control systems)
Other Disposal of bottom ash and slag. Fire and safety issues to be taken
care of.

P a g e | 36
7.0 Construction & Demolition Waste
Construction and demolition waste is generated whenever any construction/ demolition activity
takes place, such as, building roads, bridges, fly over, subway, remodelling etc. It consists
mostly of inert and non-biodegradable material such as concrete, plaster, metal, wood, plastics
etc. A part of this waste comes to the municipal stream. These wastes are heavy, having high
density, often bulky and occupy considerable storage space either on the road or communal
waste bin/container. It is not uncommon to see huge piles of such waste, which is heavy as well,
stacked on roads especially in large projects, resulting in traffic congestion and disruption.
Waste from small generators like individual house construction or demolition, find its way into
the nearby municipal bin/vat/waste storage depots, making the municipal waste heavy and
degrading its quality for further treatment like composting or energy recovery. Often it finds its
way into surface drains, choking them. It constitutes about 10-20 % of the municipal solid waste
(excluding large construction projects).
According to Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC) report,
 New construction generates about 40-60 kg per sq. of build-up area
 Repair and renovation of existing buildings generates 40-50 kg per sq. meter
 Demolition of buildings generate 300-500 kg per sq. meter
This category of waste is complex due to the different types of building materials being used but
in general may comprise of the following materials:
Major components
 Cement concrete
 Bricks
 Cement plaster
 Steel (from RCC, door/window frames, roofing support, railings of staircase etc.)
 Rubble · Stone (marble, granite, sand stone)
 Timber/wood (especially demolition of old buildings)
Minor components
 Conduits (iron, plastic)
 Pipes (GI, iron, plastic)
 Electrical fixtures (copper/aluminium wiring, wooden baton, plastic switches, wire
insulation)
 Panels (wooden, laminated)
 Others(glazed tiles, glass panes)
Landfill has been the traditional disposal mechanism for C&D waste, but in accordance with the
waste management hierarchy and having regard to the resource value of the discarded
materials and the current exhaustive pressures on landfill space, recycling must take over as the
main management route for this waste stream.

P a g e | 37
7.1 Way Forward for ULBs in Construction & Demolition Waste
Management
The primary effort therefore should be to engage in waste prevention and reduce the amount of
waste generated in the first place i.e. minimise the resources needed to do the job.
Material that is generated should be reused on site or salvaged for subsequent reuse to the
greatest extent possible and disposal should only be considered as a last resort. Initiatives
should be put in place to maximise the efficient use/reuse of materials. Excavated spoil/topsoil
can be carefully set aside and used as landscaping material in the completed development.
Innovative initiatives to avoid the need for disposal should be investigated:
 architectural features should ideally be reused in the refurbishment of retained structures
on the same site;
 the warehousing of salvaged material can facilitate its reuse on future projects; and
 “architectural salvage sales” can allow the public to acquire material resources that have
been removed from decommissioned buildings.
There are a number of established markets available for the beneficial use of C&D waste:
 waste timber can be recycled as shuttering or hoarding, or sent for reprocessing as
medium density fibreboard;
 waste concrete can be utilised as fill material for roads or in the manufacture of new
concrete when arising at source; and
 in addition, the technology for the segregation and recovery of stone, for example, is well
established, readily accessible and there is a large reuse market for aggregates as fill for
roads and other construction projects.
ULBs should make arrangements for placement of appropriate containers (skips or other
containers) and their removal at regular intervals or when they are filled either through own
resources or by appointing private operators. The collected waste should be transported to
appropriate site(s) for further processing and disposal either through ULB owned resources or
by appointing private operators. ULBs should monitor and record generation of construction and
demolition waste within its jurisdiction. Municipal authorities should make bye-laws as well as
special arrangements for storage, transportation, processing and disposal of C& D waste

P a g e | 38
Table 7-1: Role of ULBs – C&D Waste Management
ULBs < 1 Lakh Population ULBs > 1 Lakh Population
 Notify locations, where waste generators
having small quantities of C&D waste under 1
MT load should be allowed to deposit their
waste.
 Arrange for transportation for C&D waste
deposited at collection centre through covered
tractor trolley/ trucks to area designated for
bulk storage
 Plan for reuse and recycling of such waste
with private sector participation or the C&D
waste could be used for land reclamation by
filling in low lying areas. C&D waste can also
be used to fill in areas where stagnant water
is repeatedly observed in order to prevent
from mosquito breeding
 Notify suitable locations in different parts of
the city where waste generators having small
quantities of C&D waste under 1MT load can
deposit their waste conveniently
 Create a system of renting skips/ containers
for storage of C&D waste at source
departmentally or through an authorized
private operator, where the generation of such
waste is greater than 1 MT
 Prescribed rates for collection and
transportation of C&D waste to be published/
notified.
 Citizens to avail the facility and refrain from
disposal of small quantities of C&D waste
anywhere else
 Arrange for transportation of C&D waste
through skip lifting system departmentally or
through designated contractor
 Plan for reuse and recycling of such waste
with private sector participation. The rejects
from these plants (soft fines) are used for
filling in low lying areas
 Private sector may be encouraged to facilitate
reuse and recycling of C&D waste
 The ULB should fix and notify charges for
door step collection and transportation of C&D
waste, based on the volume generated
C&D Waste processing and recycling facility needs to be developed either as a standalone
facility for large cities or in cluster. This can be developed on a PPP basis. The facility would
consist of (a) storage for bulk and retail C&D waste (b) collection from the storage bins and
separately from the bulk generators (c) transportation (d) mechanical processing and (e) final
C&D waste processed products
C&D waste can be effectively used in several ways
i. Reuse (at site) of bricks, stone slabs, timber, conduits, piping railings etc. to the extent
possible and depending upon their condition.
ii. Sale / auction of material which cannot be used at the site due to design constraint or
change in design.
iii. Plastics, broken glass, scrap metal etc. can be used by recycling industries.
iv. Rubble, brick bats, broken plaster/concrete pieces etc. can be used for building activity
such as levelling, under coat of lanes where the traffic does not constitute of heavy
moving loads.
v. As inert fill material for low-lying areas and landscaping. Larger unusable pieces can be
sent for filling up low-lying areas.
vi. Fine material such as sand, dust etc. can be used as cover material over sanitary landfill.
vii. Processed C&D waste can be used for road and embankment construction

P a g e | 39
o Kerb stones (these generally do not have load bearing role)
o Paving blocks, interlocking tiles and drain covers used for pedestrian areas
and gardens

P a g e | 40
8.0 Landfills
Sanitary landfills are facilities for final disposal of Municipal Solid Waste on land, designed and
constructed with the objective of minimizing impacts to the environment. The Municipal-Solid
Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000 and draft revised Rules 2013 provide
comprehensive regulations on the siting, design and operation of sanitary landfills.
“Landfilling shall be restricted to non-biodegradable, inert waste and other waste that are not
suitable either for recycling or for biological processing. Landfilling shall also be carried out for
residues of waste processing facilities as well as pre-processing rejects from waste processing
facilities. Landfilling of mixed waste shall be avoided unless the same is found unsuitable for
waste processing. Under unavoidable circumstances or till installation of alternate facilities,
landfilling shall be done following proper norms.
A modern landfill complying with these requirements is a complex facility with various
equipment’s to minimize environmental impacts.
Figure 8-1: Typical Cross Section for Sanitary Landfill
Image Credit: www.eco-web.com
8.1 Location Criteria
The MSW Rules provide criteria for the location of sanitary landfill. Additionally, the CPHEEO
manual published by the Ministry of Urban Development has specified guidance for locating a
landfill site.

SWM_Handbook.pdf

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to SWM_Handbook.pdf

Similar to SWM_Handbook.pdf (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

SWM_Handbook.pdf